Munia 5/6 -White-capped Munia (Black-headed Munia Lonchura Ferruginosa) Lifer 550/688

The White-capped  are introduced bird  to Singapore first from Central Java Indonesia. They are  released or escape caged bird then. Recently there is a small colony of them sighted in Melaka padi field. Whether they are brought directly over or they have move upwards peninsula we will not know. I was also hoping the Javan Munia will migrate further up from southern Johor (Muar side) but alas they have yet to be recorded here.

They are nicknamed "Tricolors Nun" with its distinct white crown and nape, black throated and brown/chestnut back. In Craig's book it is  labelled as subspecies of the Black-headed.  I would consider its a lifer though as  feral birds from Indonesia which have become residents and breeding. here 

In July we saw them mainly in pairs feeding together  and collecting nesting material. Only at one time I saw them in a flock of  12-15 birds. They are considered pest to padi farmers as they do feed on rice grains. Hope they will not be a nuisance  too much if not they may be eradicated.

MUNIA - Dusky Munia (Borneo Endemic Lifer 484)

This is an endemic bird of Borneo. My sighting  was a pair of Dusky Munia not like the  other species which are gregarious and flock together in numbers. I would chalk it as a lifer. The bird was shoot in Ranau Sabah behind a hill cropped of a housing estate.

In the month of December it was a bit wet and cold. I was just birding from the back patio of ...my inlaw house. There was also a pair of Black-headed Munia

  

MUNIA 4/5 - White-rumped Munia

White-rumped Munia

This Munia can be said a hybrid of the scaly & black-headed cousin. It is found commonly in jungle fringes with grassland and cultivation feeding on lallang seeds.

Now to look for the introduced Javan Munia 5/5 in  Muar Johor. It will be long wait for tehm to move to central peninsula...........

MUNIA 3/5 - White Headed Munia

 

 

White headed Munia

Well it is just the opposite of the Black headed. They are found foraging togehter with the other Munia in open grassland and marshland of the coastal areas of peninsula Malaysia.

MUNIA 2/5 - Scaly-breasted Munia

Scaly-breasted Munia

 

The Scaly-breasted Munia is 11–12cm in length. The adult has a stubby dark bill, brown upperparts and darker brown head. The underparts are white with black scale markings. The sexes are similar, but immature birds have pale brown upperparts, lack the darker head and have uniform buff underparts of different plummage.

The Scaly-breasted Munia is a small gregarious bird which feeds mainly on seeds. It frequents open woodland and cultivation. The nest is a large domed grass structure in a tree or under the eaves of a house into which 4–10 white eggs are laid. Nesting isvery common on palm tre

MUNIA 1/5 - Black Headed Munia

Black Headed Munia

Finally the last of the Munia species of Malaysia. In Malay it is called Pipit Rawa whilst the White -headed is Pipit Uban. We don't have the Javan Munias do we. In Singapore maybe.

I have yet to see Black-headed Munias in big flock on their own. My sighting here in Kuala Kedah was just a pair picking on cow dung for nesting material. Though they sometimes join other flocks when not breeding season.

The Black-headed Munia is 11-12 cm in length. The adult has a stubby pale bluish grey bill, black head and neck and entire brown body. Some races also have a black belly. The sexes are similar, but immature birds have uniform pale brown upperparts, lack the dark head and have white to pale buff underparts. The Black-headed Munia is a small gregarious bird which feeds mainly on grain and other seeds. It frequents open grassland and cultivation. The nest is a large domed grass structure in a bush or tall grass into which 4-7 white eggs are laid.

Latest shooting at Sg Balang Padi Field  October 2022 as the field is ploughed and open. Shooting from the car we were lucky to have close up shots but not too happy with my Fuji XT2 camera as its dynamic range is poor ... time to change gear . Anyone got Olympus 300mm F4 lens to sell cheap